Secure, vehicle mounted, incident recording system

• US 20020135679A1
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Jeff Scaman
• Original Assignee: Robert Jeff Scaman
• Inventors: Scaman, Robert Jeff
• Application Number:
  US10/147,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1025 preventing jamming or interference of said signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A novel system for gathering, analyzing and storing information for the purpose of motor vehicle accident investigations. An on board, secure vehicle incident capture system, activated when the ignition switch is energized, having a video camera for generating video signals of an incident external to the vehicle, which is digitized into a synchronized data file, carrying a unique vehicle identification and a time indicator with other input data occurring on or about the vehicle such as motion sensors, brake application sensors, and the like. The file is encrypted and stored on a large capacity, code accessible device. Once written, the encrypted file can not be altered or corrupted, decrypted without the encryption key, or accessed without the access authorization code. The data file can be down loaded to be used as evidence.

Claims

1. An on board, secure vehicle incident capture system comprising:

a) at least one video camera for generating video signals of an incident external to the vehicle;

b) a recording device for capturing said video signals having a coded access;

c) a coded access to said recording device for providing a coded access to said recording device;

d) means for down loading said video signal from said coded access recording device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is at least two video cameras.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least two video cameras comprise at least one forward looking video camera and at least one rearward looking video camera.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is mounted inside said vehicle and positioned to view said incident through a window of said vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle are digitized.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said recording device for capturing said video signals is selected from the group consisting of video tape, a hard disk, and a CD ROM.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle contain monitor data selected from the group consisting of time and date, vehicle identifier, vehicle speed, brake application indicator, seat belt sensor, and G force sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle are contained in a crash proof, explosion proof repository.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for down loading said video signal from said coded access recording device is an LED.

10. A method for the secure capture of incidents involving vehicles comprising:

a) activating a secure vehicle incident capture system having at least one video camera for generating video signals of an incident external to the vehicle;

b) generating a video signal of an incident external to the vehicle;

c) storing said video signal of an incident external to the vehicle on a large capacity, code accessible device; and

,

d) accessing the stored video signal by means of the access code.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said video signal is digitized into a synchronized data file, carrying a unique vehicle identification and a time indicator.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said digitized data is stored on a large capacity hard drive which prevents data from being overwritten for very extended periods of time.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is at least two video cameras.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least two video cameras comprise at least one forward looking video camera and at least one rearward looking video camera.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is mounted inside said vehicle and positioned to view said incident through a window of said vehicle.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein said recording device for capturing said video signals is selected from the group consisting of video tape, a hard disk, and a CD ROM.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle contain monitor data selected from the group consisting of time and date, vehicle identifier, vehicle speed, brake application indicator, seat belt sensor, and G force sensor.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle are contained in a crash proof, explosion proof repository.